Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin has announced a new public-private partnership aimed at increasing enrollment of the state's preschoolers.

Shumlin traveled Wednesday to the Heartworks child care center in Williston, where he announced a state partnership with the Vermont Community Preschool Collaborative.

The state and the collaborative are splitting the $800,000 cost that would allow communities to start up child care centers. The collaborative is funded with private donations.

"I don't think there's a parent who doesn't want their child ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, it's that simple," said Eddie Gale, with the Preschool Collaborative. "The preponderance of evidence clearly shows a quality preschool experience creates gains for all children."

A total of 13 Vermont communities have qualified for the grants to date.

Shumlin says early education is a key to academic and social success later in life, and even reduces incarceration rates.

About 60 percent of Vermont families now have access to publicly subsidized preschool programs, a rate higher than most other states.

But Shumlin pledged Wednesday to try again to find a funding source acceptable to the Legislature to establish universal pre-K statewide.